Indiana Football: Marcelino Ball leads hungry group of DB’s in 2019

The defensive backs for the Indiana football program may be the most talented group on the roster and look to set the tone for the Hoosiers 2019 season.

Heading into 2018, the Indiana football defensive backs were experienced but still somewhat young, and it showed at times. Now, the secondary is one of the most talented and deepest in the Big Ten and look to give opposing quarterbacks nightmares in 2019.

With underclassmen like Bryant Fitzgerald and Juwan Burgess thrown into the fire last season, they now return as two of the top defensive backs on the team and Fitzgerald, especially, looks to be one of the leaders on the defensive side of the ball.

While the inexperience showed at times last year by giving up big plays in the secondary, defensive coordinate Kane Womack talked about his aggressive style of play and how he wants to continue to use it.

"“Well, I work for Tom Allen, so I’ll play pretty aggressively defensively, or I won’t have my job. We’ve made no bones about it, we are an aggressive, attacking defense. I think you have to be so intentional about creating negative plays for the offense, I’m blanking here on the stat where I got this from, but there was a team that did a study this off-season, it was like, if you create one negative play in a drive, you have a 75 percent chance of holding them to a field goal or less, or getting off the field.”"

With the aggressive nature of Indiana on defense, it does put a lot of pressure on the defensive backs to perform. Last season the Hoosiers ranked just 10th in total sacks (22.0) in the Big Ten and the lack of pressure showed by giving up the 4th most passing yards per game (229.0) in the conference.

"“At the same time we have to be very intentional about limiting the opponent’s big plays. Notice I didn’t say eliminating, right, because they’re going to hit a 15-yard comeback every now and then when you’re an attacking defense because your corners are playing over the top, right.” Womack explained."

One of those cornerbacks that enters the secondary as a name that looks to breakthrough immediately is Tiawan Mullen. The highly touted freshman has already made a name for himself early on through the first couple of practices.

After losing Jonathan Crawford to graduation, the secondary leadership goes to Marcelino Ball who received All-Big Ten honorable mention honors in 2018 after having 59 tackles, 2.5 sacks, an interception and forced fumble. Along with Ball and Fitzgerald, senior Andre Brown, who has started 29 of his 32 games played, and junior Khalil Bryant, a returning starter, look to build off of a good 2018.

Two names that look for a bounce back are A’Shon Riggins and Jamar Johnson. Riggins was an All-Freshman player in the conference after finishing second on the IU defense in pass breakups and chipping in 37 tackles in 2016, but since then has been relatively inconsistent. As for Johnson, he dealt with some off of the field issues after last season but looks to be the back-up to Marcelino Ball.

Above everything else, Womack has a clear message for the entire Indiana program.

"“We can’t get frustrated with that as players, coaches, fan base. We’ve got to understand what we’re trying to do that every now and then they’re going to hit a play. We just can’t give up the big plays for touchdowns and create enough negative plays of our own.”"